With a final Pugi~! of agony, the massive boar's body shattered like glass.
Even after his time away, Hachiman hadn't lost his edge. But that "Mad Boar" was still just a basic monster, like a slime; the real strong enemies were yet to come.
Catching his breath, Hachiman looked around. Off in the distance, he heard an excited conversation.
"Uwaaa! I'm amazing, right?! Did you see how cool I was, Kirito?"
"Congrats on your first win, but this kind of boar in other games is like a slime."
"Eh? Really? I thought it was like a mid-boss!"
"Not even close."
(They're having so much fun… One of them's like Tobe, and the other like Hayama. Wait… Hayama again? Is this game actually called 'Hayama Online'?)
Looking at the Tobe-lookalike, Hachiman couldn't help smiling.
(I had that phase too… No, wait — what right does a lone wolf have to act like a veteran? I'd better apologize… wait, did I just apologize to myself?)
Shaking his head at his own inner monologue, he went back to grinding, trying out the four-hit "Phantom Sword Dance" combo: horizontal, horizontal, horizontal, vertical. He couldn't unleash its full power without the actual skill, but he could imitate the moves, even if they lacked force.
(Not much I can do about the damage… but my EXP gain rate seems higher than average. I'll try again. Still, that Kirito guy's been watching me for a while now…)
Lone wolves are good at handling routine and repetition, and for them, acting alone is always more comfortable. Another trait is their awareness of being watched, so noticing Kirito's gaze was easy.
After trying out several dagger techniques, he leveled up a bit and decided to head back early. Kirito's eyes followed him as he left.
(Judging from the look, he's the kind who can socialize well if he wants to… but chooses to go solo.)
With a silent nod of mutual respect between loners, Hachiman turned toward the city.
Avoiding the main streets, he came across someone crouched in a corner. When the person looked up, short chestnut hair and a curled-up posture made Hachiman freeze — it was like seeing an isekai version of Totsuka!
He tried to look away, but the player stood up and shyly approached.
"Uh… excuse me…"
Hachiman pretended not to hear, but the boy stepped ahead to block his path.
"Sorry… could you explain some things to me?"
(Probably beginner questions… it's a hassle, but leaving someone who looks this much like Totsuka… even if the world allows it, my conscience won't.)
"Well, first, you know how to open the menu, right? It should be down—" But as he checked his own menu, Hachiman froze: the logout button was gone.
"That's weird… I can't find it…"
"I knew it…"
(A bug in Kayaba Akihiko's masterpiece? That's as likely as Yukinoshita confessing her love to me.)
"Even if it's rare for a new game to have a bug like this, I'm sure there'll be an official announcement soon."
Surprised at how smoothly the conversation was flowing, Hachiman thought maybe that Christmas event training had really paid off.
The boy's youthful face resembled Totsuka's so much that Hachiman, for once, took the initiative.
If you just joined, I can help you pick out gear and teach you the basics while we wait for the announcement. Also, drop the polite speech… between guys, it's way too stiff."
(Komachi, your brother is really giving it his all today.)
He cheered at his sister in his heart, while outwardly waiting for the boy's response. The boy tilted his head, thought for a moment, then smiled like a ray of sunshine.
"Sure, nice to meet you!"
(Is this kid an angel? He's a guy and still this cute — it should be illegal…)
Hachiman suppressed the urge to gush and began teaching him. First, he helped him choose equipment, then explained the "Anti-Harassment Rules" and "Crime Prevention Rules."
When they decided to party up, the boy's name appeared in the upper-left corner of the screen — and Hachiman realized he still hadn't introduced himself.
(I got so wrapped up in my 'normie imitation act' that I forgot the basics… Komachi, your brother is still useless.)
Mustering up his courage, he said:
"S-sorry, I forgot to introduce myself… I'm Hachiman. Asuna."
"I… my real name's Yuuki Asuna, nice to meet you. But… how did you know my name?"
Hachiman quickly covered his mouth.
"Idiot! Don't reveal your real name in-game! Always use your character name!"
The boy apologized, and Hachiman scratched his head.
"I'm the one who should apologize… Now that we both know each other's secrets, we're even."
The boy — Asuna — nodded, and his smile was like a spring day.
"Nice to meet you again, Hachiman!"
(Where does this angelic vibe worthy of Totsuka come from? He's a guy and still this adorable!)
Hachiman decided to finally answer Asuna's earlier question.
"Oh, about what you asked: when you form a party, the members' names appear in the upper-left corner of the screen… Sorry for calling you by your name out of nowhere."
"I see, so that's how it works."
"Well, now that we've introduced ourselves, let's go over some combat basics."
"Got it, go ahead."
Out on the hunting field, Hachiman began explaining.
"Basically, sword skills activate automatically. First you make the initial motion, then charge up a bit of energy, and when you feel the skill activate… you release it all at once, like this."
He demonstrated dagger techniques as he spoke.
Asuna seemed to have a good memory — after adopting the initial stance and getting Hachiman's corrections on hand and foot placement, he soon managed to execute the rapier thrust skill Linear.
But as he taught, Hachiman was thinking about something else.
(What is this…? Is Totsuka really in there? Why is it so soft…? Did I just step into a new world?)
When Asuna displayed her astonishing skill with the Linear Thrust, he was once again taken aback.
"Sensei! I've gotten used to it, so it's time to get serious!"
"What? Seriously? What are you even talking abou—"
Before he could finish the sentence, a flash of sword light swept past his eyes.
Though it wasn't as strong as Hachiman's full-force attack, it was a slash so fast the human eye could barely follow it. With a proud look after executing the technique, Asuna asked:
"How about that?"
(I'd love to protect that smile… Could she be a genius? A genius with Totsuka's personality?)
Hachiman was about to ask, but suddenly felt an intense gaze. Reacting instantly, he raised his weapon just as a solemn bell tolled in the sky.
When the light faded, they had already been teleported to the central plaza. Thousands of players were gathered there; in that moment, the entire virtual world was about to undergo a radical transformation.
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